Mayor's Office

Mayor's Office

Cecil Clarke was elected Mayor of Cape Breton Regional Municipality in 2012 and re-elected in 2016. With his colleagues on council, he is moving forward with a plan for Positive Change.

Mayor Clarke has been focused on making our city the most business and development-friendly municipality in Atlantic Canada. Cape Breton Regional Municipality is the first in Nova Scotia to announce new federal-provincial infrastructure projects. New companies are in our port and airport, creating jobs and improving Cape Breton’s connectivity to the world. The municipality's debt was reduced by 20 percent in 2012-2016, saving millions in annual servicing costs.

Before being elected Mayor, Cecil served on the Executive Council of Nova Scotia. He was Speaker of the House of Assembly and Government House Leader. He served as Minister of Economic Development, Minister of Energy and Attorney General and Minister of Justice. As Minister of Economic Development, he began the successful Small Business Loan Guarantee Program, which has led to the creation over 9,000 jobs in Nova Scotia.

As Energy Minister, he led the implementation of the $830 million Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Accord and the $640 million Deep Panuke development. As Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Clarke’s “Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act” helps citizens take back the streets from criminal activity;

Positive Change:

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality is becoming more open and transparent under Cecil Clarke's leadership:

First region-wide budget consultation

The first five-year Capital Plan for infrastructure

The first unanimous budget votes in council

First joint meeting of all island councils ...and the first joint meeting of CBRM council and Membertou and Eskasoni First Nations

The first Mayor's Task Force to re-examine the municipality's practices and organization

The first visit to our city by a Halifax Regional Municipality Mayor

First year-round council meetings, ending the practice of summer recess

Through annual budget consultations, thousands of residents have been consulted on the top priorities for our city. Job creation was the number one priority and the Port of Sydney was widely viewed, by a majority of residents, as important to economic growth.

The Capital Plan and development of the Port of Sydney are key initiatives of Mayor and Council and every effort will be made to address these as the priorities of the citizens of CBRM.

As Mayor, Cecil Clarke will continue to reach out and build the bridges to a new, stronger economy for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.